Initial Review of iOS 7

I seldom review new electronics and new OS, but this one got to me. Please note that I'm not a rabid fan of anything. I have Macs, Windows, Android phone, and Apple iPads. I use them all. But I did like the IoS interface, which I found very intuitive and very easy to see, especially with my eyesight.

I updated my iPad (3rd Generation) to iOS 7 last night. I have been playing with it for a while and trying to get used to the different ways of doing the things I normally do.

I'm still not liking the new look, but this is more of a personal preference and probably because I'm not used to it. The "simplistic" or minimalist look doesn't do it to me, and it looks more primitive than the previous look. Still, there are a couple of annoying features here that I may not get used to:

1. Safari. The Forward and Backwards button are still on the left side of the top of the browser window, but why did they more the Bookmarks button to the right? It used to be everything was on the left side. You can navigate rather easily and quickly. Move forward, backwards, and go to a different website on your bookmarks doesn't require a lot of moment of your finger. They were all there. Now, you have to move across the page since the bookmark is on the other side! I don't know if this can be customized to change its location.

2. Multitasking. When you swipe upwards with 3 of 4 fingers, you'll see all the active apps. It used to be that you can close apps by just taping on the "x" attached to each icon. Now, you have to do a bit more by swiping the mini window of the app upwards. Here's the thing: tapping is a lot easier and requires less of an effort than swiping up. If you don't do it fast enough, the window/app doesn't close!

3. Difficult to see. The new look of the buttons and the control panel use thin black lines on either white, grey, or semi-transparent background. They do not look as clear and distinct as the old interface. Were these designed by and for youngsters who have 20/20 eyesight?

I'm just afraid that this minimalism concept has been taken a bit too far for an interface. Unfortunately, other apps are following along. Evernote new update follows the same minimalistic style of iOS 7, and I have trouble not only finding stuff, but see the buttons clearly after I found them, especially in dim lights when the display automatically dims down.

Staff: Admin

I have yet to upgrade for my iPhone. It's really a love/hate situation it seems. I've talk to a few friends that love it and I've seem plenty of hate on my facebook feed. Come back in a few weeks and tell us how you feel. It will be interesting if these issues are just adjustments or real problems. I'm in no rush to update. I figure it's best to wait for one more update as there will be a few fixes in store soon.

Staff: Admin

I updated my phone to iOS7 about a week ago, and honestly, I like it a lot.
Yeah there are a few things that have changed and will take some time to get used to. For example when closing out of apps, the swipe upward is somewhat unreliable. It will sometimes show the next app if you don't swipe perfectly upwards. But, I'm sure I will get used to it. In my opinion, the overall look is way better than iOS. There is a reason why a lot of interfaces are going in that direction. It's more intuitive and easy to use, while looking good. Ios7 is going to be the norm in a couple of months so I don't see why people hate. It just takes time to get used to it.

On the iPad, there are still annoying traits that I still can't overlook or get used to, even after using it for a while. To be fair, it has more to do with layouts, with the new safari being the worst. I still do not understand why the moved the bookmark button to the other side. And what length of the bookmark listing is inconsistent.

I think the iPod functionality in iOS 7 is terrible. The application is way too simplified that its just difficult to use. Take for example shuffling songs of a specific genre. This sounds like it should be the top thing to have available, instead you have to actually type your genre in the search field then go to it's playlist and then press a tiny shuffle icon.

Here's issue number two! Playlists are impossible to edit. Okay so you just made your playlist and your listening to a song thinking to yourself 'wow should definitely put this one in that list' oh but i can't do it on this screen i have to actually go to the playlist and jump through 10 hoops.